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Last update - 00:00 01/05/2008
Ma'aleh Adumim mayor: I got impression that gov't plans to divide J'lem
By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: E-1, Ma'aleh Adumim 

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Wednesday secretly toured the E-1 area between the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim and Jerusalem, where a plan for the construction of large Jewish neighborhood has been frozen for several years, at the behest of the United States.

Livni toured the area accompanied by Ma'aleh Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel, who later said he got the impression that the government was planning to divide Jerusalem.

The tour took place as part of a process of ongoing negotiations over the borders of a future Palestinian state. Israel wants to keep the Adumim settlement bloc inside its territory in a final peace agreement with the Palestinians.
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Livni refrained from promising Kashriel that the construction plan will be unfrozen, but stressed that the issue is up for discussion.

During their tour, Livni refused to answer Kashriel's inquiries regarding rumored government plans to divide Jerusalem within the framework of a future peace agreement with the Palestinians. She said "Israel is doing its best to achieve success in negotiations with the Palestinians."

Kashriel said to Haaretz on Thursday that Livni's visit left him with the impression that Israel is planning to divide Jerusalem and compensate the Jewish public by annexing the Adumim settlement bloc and other similar blocs near Jerusalem, like Givat Ze'ev and western Gush Etzion.

"This is the terrible old plan originally devised by [Former Meretz Chairman Yossi] Beilin, to remove Arab neighborhoods from Jerusalem and instead add to it the large Jewish communities surrounding it, which are outside the city's jurisdiction," Kashriel said. He explained that Livni didn't say these things specifically during their tour, but "that is the impression I got, and I am known to be very perceptive."

Kashriel went on to say the "we will not serve as the government's fig leaf for negotiating over the fate of Jerusalem. We won't agree to be the reward for the division of Jerusalem and we will fight it with all our might."

The Ma'aleh Adumim mayor added that the frozen construction plan in the E-1 territory must immediately be unfrozen, citing the importance of a Jewish neighborhood connecting his city to Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said several months ago in a closed meeting that Israel had made it clear to the U.S. that eventually, Israel will build in the E-1 territory and added that any construction would have to be "done with the U.S.'s consent."

The E-1 territory is the subject of much contention between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel wants to use it to connect Jerusalem to Ma'aleh Adumim, where some 32,000 people currently reside. The Palestinians, on the other hand, want to use the territory to create a continuity of Palestinian land from north to south ? starting in Ramallah toward Bethlehem.

The Israeli construction plan in E-1 encompasses some 12,000 dunams and includes 3,500 apartment units in three sub-neighborhoods, as well as a police headquarters, tourist resort and an industrial and commerce center that would supply jobs to thousands of Israelis and Palestinians.

Related articles:
  • Police delay move to new West Bank HQ in Ma'ale Adumim
  • Israel takes land to ease way to build in E-1 area
  • Israel expands plans to construct new homes in E. J'lem, W. Bank
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      1.   Ma`aleh Adumim lies outside of Israel 20:57  |  John 01/05/08
      2.   I got impression that gov`t plans to divide J`lem 21:41  |  Axel 01/05/08
      3.   maaleh Adumim 22:23  |  Yoni 01/05/08
      4.   To #1 THe land is Israel Home of the Jews 22:28  |  Levi 01/05/08
      5.   John. Go read the reports of the British Palestinian Exploration 22:40  |  Josh 01/05/08
      6.   # 3 yoni 22:56  |  Axel 01/05/08
      7.   FM Livni not so useless afterall, at least to the Arabs 22:57  |  SLAVO 01/05/08
      8.   # 5 josh 23:00  |  Axel 01/05/08
      9.   # 4 levi 23:03  |  Axel 01/05/08
      10.   East Jerusalem belongs to the Palestinians. 23:09  |  Aaron 01/05/08
      11.   John, no. 1; the probable solution for all 00:15  |  Sam 02/05/08
      12.   Olmert and Jerusalem 00:18  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 02/05/08
      13.   We have no need for American consent. We are a sovereign nation. 01:18  |  Chaim 02/05/08
      14.   news must travel slow in malleh adumim 01:42  |  zionist forever 02/05/08
      15.   #6 Chaim goes all Cipora on us 02:11  |  Johnboy 02/05/08
      16.   Sovereign Nation? 02:43  |  freddie 02/05/08
      17.   #8 Johnboy- it ain`t Palestinian land either 03:17  |  Jon 02/05/08
      18.   Dear Yoni 03:24  |  John 02/05/08
      19.   Dear Josh 03:25  |  John 02/05/08
      20.   Ah, Johnboy, Johnboy 04:02  |  Elihu 02/05/08
      21.   Mr.mayor the whole world has that same impression 05:08  |  YSL 02/05/08
      22.   Whether it was thiers or not,who gives a toss,now it`s ours perio 05:11  |  YSL 02/05/08
      23.   maaleh adumim 06:20  |  yoni 02/05/08
      24.   # 23 yoni 14:40  |  Axel 02/05/08
      25.   There is no link between the state of Israel and Joshua`s land 17:58  |  John 02/05/08
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